Schuylkill crashes

Friday, April 22, 2011

State police at Frackville had a busy Wednesday, April 20, investigating three separate crashes on Schuylkill County roadways, including two along Interstate 81.

A crash occurred on I-81 about 10:40 a.m. in Delano Township. Troopers said George Gesner, 82, of Somerset, Mass., was stopped in traffic in the northbound left lane with Kenneth Summers, 36, of Six Mill Run, Bedford County, stopped behind him.

Tonnie King, 47, of Decatur, Ga., was northbound and lost control of a 2002 Kenworth truck towing a semi-trailer with about 15,000 pounds of dry cargo.

King's rig hit the rear of Summers' 2004 International utility truck, pushing it into the rear of Gesner's 2000 BMW 323i sedan.

Troopers said there was heavy fog in the area at the time of the crash.

No injuries were reported with damages heavy to the rear of the BMW and front of the Kenworth and moderate to the rear of the International.

The BMW and the Kenworth had to be towed from the scene. The left lane was closed for about two hours.

Troopers were assisted at the scene by volunteers from the Delano and Ryan Township fire companies and fire police.

The second crash on I-81 occurred about 12:08 p.m. northbound in Mahanoy Township. Troopers said Aroldo Dossantos, 61, of Framingham, Mass., was stopped in a 2000 Volvo tractor with trailer due to a construction zone back log. Willard Wendt III, 42, of Byfield, Mass., approached in a 1999 Ford F-450 Ditchmen truck and was going too fast for conditions.

Wendt attempted to avoid striking the rear of Dossantos' rig but the front right corner struck the left rear corner of the rig.

After impact the Ford came to rest in the grass median between the north and southbound lanes. David Perry, 58, of North Bay, Ontario, Canada, traveling in the left lane behind Wendt, struck debris from the initial crash with his 2007 Buick Rendezvous.

Troopers said there was heavy fog in the area at the time of the crash. No one was injured.

Damages were extensive to the Ford and minor to the other two vehicles. Troopers cited Wendt for the crash.

The third crash occurred about 11:05 a.m. along Mt. Laffee Road, a half-mile east of Valley Road, in New Castle Township.

Troopers said Katina M. McGurl, of Schuylkill Haven, was westbound in a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and traveling too fast for conditions and drove onto loose dirt on the road.

She lost control of the Jeep that went onto the right berm, then crossed the eastbound lane and struck a small dirt embankment along the left berm causing the vehicle to roll over several times.

The Jeep came to rest in a wooded area about 30-feet off the road.

McGurl and her passenger, Harold McGurl, same address, were injured and taken to a Pottsville area hospital.